Blood is Thicker Than Water
by JCappuccino
Summary: The story takes place about 11 years after the 6th season finale. Arizona and Callie now have kids, and one of their kids, a 16 year old named Aaliyah, is facing difficulties in her personal life when she falls in love with one of her mother's patients.
1. Part 1

**Hi! This is my first attempt at a Calzona fic and its AU (Alternate Universe.) The story takes place about 11 years after the 6th season finale. Arizona and Callie now have kids, and one of their kids, a 16 year old named Aaliyah, is facing difficulties in her personal life when she falls in love with one of her mother's patients. The story is all out of order, so it plunges you directly into the plot, and the catch up happens throughout. The lines are the break in "scenes." I have to apologise upfront, because I attempted researching HIV for one of the characters, and I'm not sure I have everything perfectly correct, but for the sake of enjoying this fic lets pretend I do =] Please critique as cruelly or complimentary as you see fit. Hope you enjoy it =]**

**Disclaimer thingy: Not sure why or if these are required but here it goes... I don't own squat except the characters that don't appear on the show. oki that should be sufficient :D -thumbs up?-**

"Its Nattie... She's bleeding... there- there's a lot of blood. There aren't any lesions. Its from her mouth... No she's not coughing, she's- she's just bleeding. I don't know what to do!... She has cotton in her... it's not helping." Aaliyah Robbins hung up the phone and reached for the roll of paper towels on the counter above her head. "It's okay baby, you're gonna be fine. My mom is coming. She knows what to do. You're fine baby."

* * *

"Natalie, do you have any pain anywhere?" Dr. Robbins asked from behind the mask protecting her face. The pretty blonde surgeon nodded as the bloodied teenager motioned to her throat. "Okay, I'm going to need to take a look, Liyah, go wash your hands and get gloves on. This needs to be cleaned up." Arizona grabbed a small light from her coat and cautiously had Natalie open her mouth so she could peek inside. "You've got an open lesion in the back of your throat..." Arizona looked worriedly at her daughter. "We need to get you to the hospital so I can cauterize the wound and get you started on meds."

"She'll be okay thought right? This is just one lesion. She... She's fine right?" Aaliyah's voice was thick with apprehension.

* * *

"Okay, I've numbed you with an oral anesthetic, you wont feel a thing." Dr. Robbins beamed a smile at her daughters girlfriend from behind a plastic shield, before she cauterized the wound. "Karen is going to clean you up, and then you can be discharge." With that, the Paeds surgeon left to clean herself up.

* * *

Aaliyah was standing at the nurses station when she spotted her mom and she nervously walked up to her, tucking a lock of golden hair behind her ear before asking, "How is she... this.. this isn't "it" is it? This isn't AIDS... Right? She's always so good with her meds and-"

Arizona cut her off, "Liyah, did you kiss her today?" Aaliyah's eyes widened and her brows furrowed as realization hit her..

"Yes... but that was before she was bleeding... and-"

"You need to get tested immediately."

"So it... she's getting worse?" milky tears began to fill in deep blue eyes as the young woman asked the question she feared most.

"No... She's having an episode. This is normal stuff Li."

* * *

Aaliyah came back to the Paeds ward after having her blood drawn to find her girlfriend waiting for her in the playroom. She watched as Natalie rolled a ball back and forth with a mop of rusty blonde hair Liyah came to know as Billy.

"Hey Billy!"

"Hi Liyah!" The boy called out to his favorite "Dr."

"I see you met my very special friend, Natalie" She put her hand on Nattie's back and rubbed it tenderly. "You look like you're having fun."

"Yea, lots. Why weren't you here today?" Billy asked the candy-striper.

"Oh, I had school and then Nattie got sick just before I was going to clock in and come bother you." Liyah lead off with a giggle. "I'll be here tonight though, so I'll come read you the rest of that story." She smiled brightly before helping her girl up.

"OK! See ya Li Li" Billy had already turned his attention to another small boy as the girls made their way back to Callie and Arizona's apartment across the street.

* * *

Natalie hopped into the shower right away to get as clean as possible. Her clothes were thrown into the hazardous waste bin at the hospital, and she had worn a pair of scrubs back to the apartment. She let the steamy water run over her naked flesh as she lathered up in anti bacterial soap. She made sure to scrub every part of her body, and under her nails. After a bit, she heard the bathroom door open and so she glanced though the glass shower door to see her girlfriend placing a pile of clean clothes onto the sink.

"Baby, are you okay?" Liyah called out over the sound of the running water.

"Yeah... just a bit.. my mouth is numb. Its weird." Natalie retorted in a raspy voice, unusual for the brunette.

"Okay, I've got booty shorts and a cami for you and after much hesitation I decided to allow you to wear panties and a bra too." Before she could reply, Natalie saw the shower door slide open and her girlfriend admire her from just outside.

"Liyah, what are you doing!" Natalie exclaimed, shocked at her girlfriend's utter bad judgment as she stepped under the water, dressed in her own panties and bra.

"I'm not convinced they gave you a proper checkup before you left... I'm just gonna have to re-examine you." Liyah let her hands wander Natalie's wet skin before she was pushed against the cold tiled wall.

"Liyah, get the Hell out! Do you know how dangerous this is! I could get you... sick okay! If you have even the slightest cut Liyah!" Liyah felt rejected but she knew her girl was just looking out for her, so she stayed still and took her in with her eyes only.

"Nattie, baby, I just got really scared tonight... I need to hold you close. The closer the better. I need to feel you to know you're okay." Natalie closed her eyes a minute before looking back into the ocean blue of her girlfriend's eyes.

"Aaliyah, angel... this happens sometimes. Its an annoyance, an embarrassment, and a burden, but it isn't gonna kill me. I'm fine." She paused a moment before continuing her thoughts out loud, "I thought you knew what dating me would entail. Your whole life is about healthcare and becoming a doctor like your parents... I thought you knew what to expect."

* * *

Callie walked up to her wife and rubbed her shoulders lovingly, loosening the tension she knew would be there. "They shouldn't be seeing each other." Arizona spoke with a pen pressed against a chart, though she had not been able to focus enough to write anything. "I know we came to terms with it but..." Arizona trailed off. Callie moved her hand to cup her lover's face and turned it to look at her.

"She's fine. The blood work came back negative, and she's stubborn like you Ari. Even if we say no, she wont  
listen. And Natalie is really good for her-"

"When she isn't bleeding all over her." Arizona was out of her daze, and her expression was set to a determined stare.

"It scares me too but Liyah is smart. She knows to be cautious. To take precautions. Its not like she can accidentally get HIV from her like she could a stranger..." Arizona softened again before cringing at her next thought.

"You don't think they're having sex do you?"

"She's sixteen, Ari. Weren't you doing the McNasty at sixteen?" Both women followed the voice to none other than Mark Sloan, and they both cringed now.

"Let me talk to her. No one wants to talk to their parents about sex."

"And she'll talk to you, why? You're her uncle. I don't think most kids like talking to their uncles about sex either," Callie stated.

"Because Marc Sloan knows how to make a girl talk." The words came out before he had time to think them over. Both women looked disgusted as he heard what he had said and tried to recover. "No, not that, she's my niece for Christ's sake. I just mean I know how women work. After having four daughters you learn this stuff. Survival of the fittest and all." Arizona looked at her Calliope wearily.

"He better not scar our daughter for life."


	2. Part 2

Sorry this update is kind of short. I want to make sure I set it up right and have enough to write about for the next chapter, which if it goes well, I'm thinking will not disappoint. Thanks for reading =]

Callie noticed the drive way was filled with cars as the SUV rounded the corner to Mark's house. Parking on the street, Callie made sure not to hit the curb as she squeezed her way in between a red convertible and a gun metal blue Mazda 3. "Seriously can't believe she bought that. It rains here like what? Every three days!" Callie shook her head trying to understand why Cristina would buy a convertible she could hardly use.

"Mama, that car is bad-ass!" Calliope gave her son a warning look in the review mirror as she took her seat belt off.

"See what happens when you let words slip?" Arizona chirped in her ear, trying to hold back a smirk. Their son definitely took after his Mama, and Arizona was too emphatically in love with her to even be bothered by her son's light cursing. Any emulation of Calliope couldn't be a bad thing.

"I wanna go swimming! Let me OUT!" yelled their youngest, a petite little blonde whose hair was in braids down her side. Madeline had entered the brat years of her life, full force, much to her parents dismay. Screeching and damn near breaking the handle off the car, Maddie threw yet another tantrum that only ended when Calliope reached up to press the button that released the door.

"You had to have three. You just couldn't stop at two." Liyah muttered loud enough for her voice to catch in Arizona's ears.

"Well actually I promised your mother ten, so consider yourself lucky." She smiled fondly at her wife and gave her a wink. Callie placed a kiss on her cheek and chuckled at the groan from the back of the car.

"We could keep going" Callie egged on, giving Liyah just enough motivation to grab her girlfriend by the hand and lead her into her uncle's back yard, with her brother Danny in toe. Getting out of the car, the two women took their time getting to the party. They held each other for a bit, looking into each others eyes with as much love as they always had, taking this small window of peace and quiet for themselves.

"I love you Calliope." Arizona spoke first, nudging Callie's nose with her own. Callie kissed her beautiful wife softly, letting her know with every exploratory slip of her tongue how much she loved her too.

"You know.. the kids are inside, we could slip away.. home isn't that far and we could just.." Arizona giggled enthusiastically, her dimples having as much magic in them as they always had. They kissed a bit more before reluctantly making their way to the party, still hand in hand, each with a longing that would have to be dealt with later.

* * *

As Arizona and Callie made there way to the deck outback, they said their hellos to their friends and colleagues. Waving a quick "hi" to Derek as he played with his kids in the pool, They nestled down next to Mark after exchanging hugs.

"Hey! I Can't believe how many people were able to make it. Sorry to see Teddy can't be here" Arizona said while rubbing little circles into Callie's hand with her thumb. The weather outside was nice for once, though the sky was gray with clouds, supposedly it wasn't going to rain. Charcoal smoke filled the air along with the smell of hot dogs and burgers on the grill. Natalie and Liyah had sat down on the hammock by the green shed that matched the siding of the house, a plate of ambrosia on Natalie's lap. Cuddled up, Liyah took a fork full of the fruity salad and brought it to Nat's lips.

"They make a cute couple." Mark acknowledged the pair on the hammock with a small smile, proud of his niece for finding someone like Natalie. Callie smiled briefly while Arizona looked at their other two children in the pool. She still felt concerned for her daughter's safety. She knew Natalie loved Aaliyah and would never intentionally hurt her, but she also knew, being a doctor, how easily HIV spread. She tried to relax though and even laughed a bit as her son flexed his muscles like a super hero before taking a running jump and cannon-balling into the water, splashing Derek in the process.

* * *

The girls were still cuddled up together on the hammock when Mark called everyone to eat. Not wanting to leave the warm embrace of her love, Natalie leaned back into her and nuzzled under her chin. "Can't we just stay here like this a while? Its crowded over there anyway, and besides we still have this," She lifted up the plate of ambrosia a bit and waited to hear her favorite voice respond.

"Yea, I wanna wait till the crowd sits down anyway... Last party we had, Cristina elbowed me in the ribs so she could get to the macaroni salad before it was all gone." Liyah rolled her eyes. "She gets very territorial when it comes to food." The couple swung softly in the hammock while Liyah hummed along to "the Escape" as it blared through the radio speakers. It wasn't long till they heard Liyah's cousin Kimber singing along from the pool patio.

Kimber wasn't the best singer but neither was Lexie, and so it was no surprise to Liyah or anyone else that she had inherited that from her mom. Still it was nice to see the 9 year old out and having fun. Now that her cast had finally come off, she could play outside with all of her cousins and not get lectured by her aunt Callie.

Mark plated the burgers and dogs and looked around for his best friend, who happened to be missing, along with a certain blonde hottie he had grown to love over the years just as much. He smirked knowingly as he helped his twin girls get their food and sit down. Lexie took care of Kimber, who was her only daughter with Mark. It took a while for them to be able to be genial with each other, but it was worth it. Now that the kids were getting older it was important for them to have a strong sense of family.


	3. Part 3

Liyah bopped Nattie on the head with the now empty paper plate, eliciting a whimper from her girlfriend, who now looked up at her with her eyes crossed.

"Come on, the lines have died down." Natalie looked over at the grill and found that this was unfortunately true. She sighed and crawled out of the hammock, offering a hand to Aaliyah. She helped her up, only before pushing herback down into it, and running away towards the patio. Liyah struggled for several seconds before she was able to free herself from the netting beneathe her, and take after her girl in fervent pursuit.

* * *

Callie had Arizona by the hand, leading her from the den up the stairs.

"I don't wanna play paddy-cake in Mark's bed Calliope! Thats like.. playing paddy-cake in your brothers bed... yuck." Arizona protested. Callie rolled her eyes at the use of the word "paddy-cake." Several years ago, it was called "pound caking." They adopted the term when they adopted Aaliyah, but they soon dropped it after Liyah walked into their bedroom, and found that there was no cake, just a whole lot of pounding. When you have small children you have to come up with a lot of code words.

"Where then, baby?" Callie's patience was wearing thin. Arizona looked around the den behind her, and let her eyes stop on a wooden door. She let out a breathy laugh as she turned to her wife, holding out her hand.

"I think I've found an awesome place to play.."

* * *

Liyah caught Nattie at the chips and dip and she wrapped her arms around her waist, kissing her, or rather pecking her neck like a chicken, and tickling her sides. Nattie and Liyah eventually calmed down and filled there plates. Sitting down to eat with the others, they found a place next to April and her husband Max. Everyone was enjoying the food except for Liyah, who was munching on baby carrots and cole slaw. "I'm gonna go in and see whats for dessert," whispered Liyah. Natalie shook her head in silent laughter.

"Its a good thing she isn't interested in becoming a dentist what with all of the cavities shes going to get," said April. "I saw this slide once of a girl's mouth, she..." But by then, no one was listening. Blocking out April was a regular chore for this group. Not that they didn't like her.. She had become a member of the little family after the shootings... Everyone kind of came together after that. But she would always give a reason behind her every thought, as if she was a "well of wisdom." However, if you listened too long to her, you might have wished you'd drowned in that "well" already.

So as the group continued in their own conversations, Mark watched the blonde walk into the den alone, and decided to take the opportunity to go and have a little chat with her.

* * *

Mark slid open the glass door after Aaliyah and found her sitting at the wet bar, debating over what dessert she wanted. Liyah was looking down at the spread on the bar top infront of her, sucking on her plastic fork, so consumed in her decision that she hadn't noticed her uncle had followed her, and she jumped when he approached her. "Oh my God! You scared me!" Liyah caught the fork and put it back into her mouth.

"Deep in thought?"

"You really are lucky I'm not Cristina, or I might have shanked you," she said with a mouth full of fork. She looked as serious as she could and Mark found it all very amusing. "I'm thinking of getting the cherry Jell-o, but... the cupcakes are calling me."

"Hearing voices, Liy? Maybe I should have you commited to Psych." Liyah let her jaw drop and the fork clattered to the floor.

"Uncle Mark... you can't hear the cupcakes talking? Maybe I should suggest to Teddy that she take you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist?.. Or," she grinned wickedly, "Maybe its just something that comes with _old_ age." Mark was pretty sensitive about his age. Recently, he commenced his plight into midlife crisis, buying himself the newest top of the chart CDs, taking flying lessons, and considering hair plugs, (despite that all of his hair was still very much in tact.) He quickly decided to change the subject and initiate the conversation that he had promised Liyah's mothers he would do.

"You like cherry right?" He motioned to the Jell-o mold.

"Yea its my fave.. I get sad when its gone tho and it always seems to go fast, especially with certain cardio surgeons around," Liyah grumbled.

"Right, so you wanna keep it intact as long as ya can, right?" Aaliyah shot her Uncle a weird look. "Because once its gone you can't get it back." He was hoping she would get the hint.. it was too awkward for him to just ask his neice if she was banging the brunette she'd been clinging to for the past 5 months.

"Umm but you could always make more cherry Jell-o..." She was squinting at him now, giving him the same look her Mama had given him so many times.

"Well suppose you can't. Sometimes, once a cherry is gone its gone for good." There was a long and awkward pause...

"Are you talking about sex... because the metaphor I would have used involves a hot dog and ketchup..."

"Liy... Really? A hot dog? I thought you girls were more of a pair of baked potatoes, slit down the middle with the bu-" And once again, Mark managed to put his foot in his mouth. He gave an apologetic smile and tried to alleviate the situation by asking Liyah to stop bumping against the bar.

"Um... I'm not... and ew!" Liyah's eyes were wide with disbelief and her mouth hung open in shock.

"Then what is that?" He looked outside the window.

"No, I think its coming from the closet. Maybe a racoon got in again?" Liyah walked over to the closet across from her place at the wet bar. She gave her uncle a worried look before throwing it open. It only took her a moment to jump back and scream. "Oh my God! Ma - Mom! You know you can't actually make a fourth kid that way, right? Liyah asked in disgust. "I so will need therapy... My eyes are burning... I think I'm going blind."

Callie covered her chest with her hands and Arizona tried putting her panties on, tripping and falling only three times before succeeding.

"Shit!" Callie exclaimed.

"Shit.." Agreed Arizona.

"Oh snap!" Blurted out Mark, who was desperate to use the lingo he thought was still prevalent with today's youth.

"And now I'm going deaf as well... Please say I'm going deaf." Aaliyah sat down on the reclinder that faced the fireplace. Just then, Maddie ran into the room as the two women were rushing to dress.

"Mommy! Mommy!" She squeaked, "Danny is being mean to me!" She finally caught sight of her parents and asked in all innocense, "What are you doing?"

"They're playing "paddy-cake!''" Yelled Liyah, whose eyes were fixed on the floor with the best scowl she could manage.

"Madeline go.. go punch your brother," pleaded little girl ran out of the house, confused but with a mission.

"Arizona!" gasped Callie.

"Well, oh, okay but he'll be fine. I used to punch Daniel all of the time when we were growing up." She finished dressing. Mark had had his back to the women since the closet had been opened.

"Oh, cheer up Liy. Its kind of poetic.."

"Po_et_ic!" How is it PO_et_i**c**! She asked, treating the word as if it carried an infectious disease.

"Think about it. Your two gay moms were doing it in a closet." Liyah let out a whine.

"Thats tragic, not poetic."

"Mark Sloan knows how to talk to a girl, huh?" egged Arizona, her hand on her hips. Mark turned around only to get slapped, "pimp style" as he would say, by Callie.

"This is all your fault!" the violence helped her refrain from speaking any Spanish. "You promised you wouldn't traumatize her!"

"He didn't! You... You.. Oh my God! I can still see! She pouted and sobbed without any tears. "If that was your little plan to keep me a virgin, well, they should institutionize it!" With that, she left to go find her girlfriend, with a grimace that even cherry Jell-o couldn't wipe off.


	4. Part 4

**Heyloo! So I've gotta warn ya, this ones dark, and skips ahead in time by several months. Also, I wanna thank everyone that read and/or commented. It does feel good to know that people actually enjoy my writing, and def pushes me to update sooner.. So Here it is, and I promise the gaps will be filled in. All in good time ;)**

"Blood pumps through my veins; it swims through chambers that lead to my heart. My heart pumps out the blood, so I can live. Blood is how I get to love her. And now, now blood is how I get to lose her! Because her bloods infected. She loses her life a bit more everytime her heart beats. And she can't love me if she's dead. And I can't live without her love. If she dies, mother, you'll find my blood, out of my body. Because my heart? It only beats for her."

* * *

A few months had gone by since Mark's party and the hospital was about to open up a new addition, an extention, on the Denny Duquet Memorial Clinic. With the economy in ruins, it was a growing trend to see more and more patients with no insurance.

Richard was there to watch as Bailey cut the ribbon, signifying its opening. He had still been a part of the hospital, if only because of his history there. He had been retired for four years now but everytime he walked into the hospital or showed up to a related function, he was greeted with respect and admiration.

11 years as a recovered alcoholic, he certainly turned his life around. When he re-accepted the position of Chief, he was more on his game then ever before. The clarity that the shooting had brought, and the will to quit his strongest vice, drinking, had given him a new strength. He earned their respect and so even now, they gave it to him.

He watched Bailey shine as she smiled at the many faces of grateful patients from beside the clinic doors. She stood next to her colleagues and friends - Doctors in charge of clinic duties.

It was an easy decision, handing the title of Chief over to Miranda. Her son was old enough by that point, that she felt secure in taking the position, and her new fiance, Jordan, was very understanding of the work she did and the hours with which she spent doing it. They were in love and he was happy to support her in any of her endeavors.

Still, it was reassuring to see her smiling, proud of herself and of her choices. It was a nice reminder for Richard of the "joy" that came with the sacrifice, as Dr. Arizona Robbins had once informed him.

* * *

"I just don't know you at all anymore." Arizona stared in the direction of her eldest daughter, afraid to look her in the eyes. "What you tried.. And how you -" She searched for the words but couldn't even speak them. Her stomach felt like it was jumping on a trampoline inside of her and she felt like she would pass out at any moment from the anguish her baby girl had caused her. She raised her hand to her abdomine and sat on the armrest of the couch, trying to regain some composure.

* * *

Callie Torres was sitting at the nurses desk checking her e-mail when one of the residents she came to know as Dr. Dipshit, all though she would never call him that to his face, placed a chart down on the keyboard infront of her. "What are you doing Dr. Dipsh.. um Dr. Dipson?" The look on her face meant she was about a second away from giving him scut if he didn't answer.

"I was in the lab, and I came across... something you should know about." He stared pointedly at the chart. Callie shrugged her shoulders and let out a sigh in frustration before picking it up and examining it.

"This is Natalie Diaz's chart.." She said mostly out of recognition. "What are you doing with her chart?" The resident shifted his feet before reluctantly dropping his face close to Callie's ear.

"Her blood was in a vile for labs.. Aaliyah clocked in a half hour ago, then clocked out. The bloods gone.. I thought you should know.." Callie shook her head from side to side confused until it hit her plainly in the face.

* * *

"Its the only way I can be with her. She won't touch me.. She won't even kiss me anymore! Its the only way I can be with her when.. when.." Aaliyah's eyes had started to flood over. She didn't think she would cry at all. she was determined to fix things between her and her girl and this was the best way she could think of doing that, even if it meant a huge sacrifice. She would do it, for them.

* * *

Callie couldn't move at first. Her head was running a thousand miles a minute. _"Aaliyah... Oh, Aaliyah noo.." _"How many people know about this?" She stared at the computer screen.

"As far as I know, just you and I. I know we aren't on the best of terms and I wanted to do something to make it.. more..." He came to a lazy halt when Callie glared at him.

"You really are a dipshit, you know? Using my little girl..." Callie got up, closed her e-mail, and abruptly took off to call her wife who was at home making dinner. _"Arizona, pick up.. come on damnit!"_

* * *

Aaliyah was splayed out on her bedroom floor. To the left of her thigh was a syringe kit and to the right were bandages and gause. In her hand, she held the vile of her lover's blood_. "Just like Angelina and Billy-Bob..."_ thought Aaliyah, trying to find some normalcy in this, but struggling. _"I mean they carried viles of eachothers blood around their neck.. its not so weird.."_ She studied the glossy red, stroking the vile with her thumb as if it was her girlfriend's face. She missed her touch.. And this little vile would fix that. It would bring her back. That was all Aaliyah needed to hold onto the idea that stirred in her head late last night. It had made her jumpy all day, anxious and on edge.. She was worried that she would get caught, that the blood would have been all used up before she got there, which even Aaliyah knew was the most ridiculous thought, but it still taunted her. She didn't wanna miss her chance to be with her soul-mate.

* * *

The phone had rang for a full minute but Arizona's hands were too messy from slicing the roma tomatoes for her pasta that she had to let it go to voicemail. For a few minutes, she had completely forgotten about the call, even after her hands had long been cleaned and dried. But her son had walked into the kitchen to get a pack of Capri Sun and he'd noticed the green light flashing on her cell. "Mommy, you have a message." He quickly exited to the living room to continue watching some sort of asian exercise show, "Ninja Fighters" or something.

Arizona turned around and grabbed her cell, reading that it was from "#1 Milf," She smirked at inwardly at the title she'd given her Calliope, and dialed the voicemail. She held the phone up to her ear with help of her shoulder squinched up as she stirred the noodles in the pot on the stove.

Even though she had seen her angel a few hours ago, it still made her feel more whole to hear her voice again, but when she recieved the message, she let the phone drop to the floor and she couldn't breathe outward. For a minute she tried, then turned and took little time making it to Aaliyah's bedroom, knocking frantically.

* * *

In her room, Aaliyah had filled the syringe with the crimson blood, and had held it against her skin for what seemed like a few seconds too long for someone so determined. In reality, it had been a whole two minutes that she had sat there, tip of the needle barely making contact with her skin. She swallowed, gulping back the uncertainty that tried to swim out of her. Her left arm was tied off, and her veins were popping out in clear view. She started to feel her hand going numb and so she thought that it was now or never, and as she took one last strangled breath, her door began to shake furiously with someone's knocking. Aaliyah dropped the needle and stood up, like a teenager getting caught doing drugs.

"Aaliyah open this _fucking_ door right now!" Arizona never cursed at her kids. Ever. She hardly cursed much at all except when she was in bed with Calliope, and well that was forgivable. But that scared Aaliyah, and she suddenly felt very small, and she obeyed. Her head hung low and tears threatening to escape her eyes she croaked out of a dry throat something that in her head was supposed to sound normal, but ended up convicting her even more. Arizona grabbed her arms and studied them carefully. She saw the tournequet and relaxed at the fact that she hadn't punctured herself yet. She stepped into the room, twisting Aaliyah's arm as she pulled her backwards roughly and searched with her eyes for the syringe. "Where is it." She didn't need the inflection of her voice to make the question, Aaliyah was like a child now and she would answer her without a fight.

* * *

Callie walked into Bailey's office and demanded that she needed to leave, and turned on her heels before the Chief could say one word. She practically ran home, at least as quick as her legs could take her, given that they felt like they were melting into the ground. She rocked back and forth tapping her fingers impatiently on the elevator wall behind her and darted out as soon as the doors opened. She cursed herself off in a fit when she realised she'd gotten off at the wrong floor and she ran down the stairs instead, hoping to make it home before her daughter destroyed everything.


	5. Part 5

**I apologise in advance for any typos etc that may appear. I wrote this in math class one morning and came home for lunch and speed typed it, leaving myself only 15 minutes to get ready for my english class =P Being late or nearly late for fic is totally acceptable in my opinion, though I don't know how my professor feels. =,[ anyhoo hope ya like. I'm slowly filling in the gaps. Slooowly. -As a side note, I actually wasn't late to class. Yay for me :D  
**

Natalie was stretched out on Aaliyah's bed, wearing softees shorts and an oversized long sleeved shirt. Another sleepover. The popcorn bowl was long discarded, its remnants the nasty burnt pieces and unpopped kernals. The TV was turned down so the kids wouldn't wake up; turned to some life time movie about some dumb housewife who was oblivious to the fact her husband was a serial killer. Another friday night.

Aaliyah came back from checking on her siblings. It was her day to watch them. Whenever Arizona and Callie had the same day off from work, they would go on a date. Aaliyah didn't mind, she was used to it by now, and it allowed her to spend time unsupervised with her girlfriend.

* * *

When Aaliyah was little, when she was too young to spend time alone while her parents went out together, her uncle would most often be the one to watch her. It was fun at first and everything was fine, until it started teaching Aaliyah a whole new world of information that her mothers didn't want her to know yet.

For example, Liyah was over Mark's apartment, which conveniently was across the hall from her parents at the time, being watched until Arizona's shift at the hospital was over. She was using the bathroom when she came across what appeared to her to be water balloons. She had fun filling them up in the sink, or at least trying to, making a mess in the process. But when she asked her uncle to help her tie them off, in front of her mommy who had just came to pick her up, things got a little awkward.

The next time he had baby sat her, she discovered a sling shot in the couch cusions. She played with it, slinging Gold Fish crackers all over the house, until her naptime which was employed immediately by Mark once he saw the mess he would have to clean up. Not wanting her uncle to take her fun new toy away, she pocketed it, and when she woke up she had forgotten all about it.

When she got home, she ate dinner and watched TV before getting ready for bed. She went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and potty, when she realized she still had the sling shot in her jeans pocket. She rushed out of the bathroom to tell her mama all about the fun she'd had that day, and needless to say Callie was less than pleased that Mark would let her play with a sling shot. But when Liyah pulled it out of her pocket to ask her mama why there was glue on it, Callie was too horrified to think up an excuse. she grabbed the thong out of her daughter's hands and threw it in the trash bin, immediately guiding Liyah to the bathroom when she sprayed her down with hand sanitizer.

Of course, when Arizona got home later that night and went to throw her coffee cup in the trash, she found a pair of some other woman's underwear and rushed to conclusions. Callie was used to her then fiance's fear of losing her and explained what had happened, and that put an abrupt end to relying on Mark to baby sit for them, until he had kids of his own.

Before the birth of his first daughter, Kimber, Aaliyah was not allowed to go into any room alone in Mark's house and she was definately "not allowed to sit on the couch!" as her mothers reminded her everytime they visited.

* * *

"The kids are asleep." Liyah said in a suggestive tone. She stood at the doorway of her bedroom, slender arms lifted above her head, grasping the wooden frame. Natalie noticed the way it raised her already too short shirt even higher still, but worked hard not to show her arousal. It had been two weeks since Aaliyah had caught her parents together and she had pushed the thought to the morgue of her mind and locked it away in a body bag, where all of the memories she'd rather forget were laid to rest.

Liyah stretched upward and let an achey moan escape her. The shirt exposed the bottom of her bra before it fell back in place. Natalie had to bite her tongue for fear of saying something that would encourage her girlfriend. But Aaliyah didn't need encouragement; she let her inhabitions, (which were few and far between these days,) go and she lifted the shirt over her head, letting it fall amongst the dirty laundry and popcorn bowl. Then she swayed her hips as she slowly made her way to Nattie. Once she was on the bed, but before she reached her girl, she dropped to her knees and crawled the remaining two feet. Natalie's mouth watered at the sight and she felt the distinct electric pulse triggered between her legs. She wanted to back up. No, correction, she knew she should back up but she couldn't. Her hands found the smooth curve of her girl's waist and then felt her hands caressing hers, guiding them up to cup her chest. Natalie was unsure if the rapid heartbeat she felt belonged to her love, or if it was her own, beating so hard and fast that she could feel it in her hands even. She wouldn't doubt it. The things she wanted to do to her Liyah... How badly she wanted her. It was almost barbaric, the intense physical attraction she felt for her. Sometimes, just looking at her made her have to change her panties or take a cold shower.

But the blonde didn't know. She felt inadequate and unwanted. She had tried to initiate more heated moments before, but Natalie always stopped her. Deep down Aaliyah knew it was for her safety only, as her baby reminded her in the shower what seemed like so long ago. But they had been a couple for over five months now and they were in love. Why shouldn't they make that love physical too?


	6. Part 6

**Once again, this was written in math and typed over lunch break before my english class =P typos will be addressed later. I think theres this thing called a beta reader? And I think it corrects typos for you maybe? IDFK! You get typos until I read later tho so hush and deal xD. I Am going to try to include more Calzona moments in this fic because I feel they're lacking and besides, I love me some Calzona as much as the next horny lesbian xD SO Here is some insight to part of their date. I haven't dropped the situation between Liyah and Nattie, you'll just have to wait for that :) I wanna say thank you VERY much to those who comment on my fic and read every update. Muchas gracias! (and thats about all the Spanish I know xD) Also, I know some people are bothered by the use of the nicknames "Ari," "Zona," and "Callie." well tough shit bc I love them =P. Okay, Enjoy :D**

Chief's was a quaint outdoor restaurant built by the edge of the bay, partway through a rocky cliff. Lanterns were hung on the ceiling, which created a romantic orange glow to settle on the faces of the few diners the establishment held. Reservations were limited; seating only allowed for 10 people at a time. It was expensive but the atmosphere was worth it, the view was worth it, and so was the food.

The waves from the bay crashed softly below the restaurant into the rocks that held fast to the mountainous base. Calliope hadn't made reservations really, because the owner's son was once a duel patient of Arizona and her's, and he knew that as a doctor, reservations were nearly impossible to keep. And so he let the doctors in before anyone else without a reservation was allowed, as soon as a table opened up. They had waited there an hour, but they had called ahead around breakfast time to inform Corey, the owner of Chief's, that they would be coming. He told them the small space between reservations that they would be able to sneak in, much later in the evening. So they spent the majority of their day together, walking the trails in the woods, visiting the fudgery on the corner of Brook Street, Much to Arizona's delight, and taking in a movie before dinner.

* * *

The woods they walked were covered in green and speckled with various shrubbery. Butterfly gardens were strategically planted along the main path, grown over with periwinkle and pink colored flowers. The women stopped, hand in hand to admire them every now and again. Yellow colored butterflies like lemons fluttered over the flowers, worshipping them with featherlight kisses.

Calliope let go of Arizona's hand just long enough to wrap her arms around her waist. "Mmm.. This is nice."

"Peaceful." Agreed Arizona, who leaned back into her wife's body, a content smile unveiling on her lips. Callie giggled.

"They remind me of your old scrub cap kind of." Arizona smiled fondly now, remembering her beloved scrub cap, which she'd replaced with a slightly less perky one when Aaliyah was seven.

* * *

Aaliyah had been sick and kept home from school. She was playing doctor along with Trauma: Life in the ER on the medical channel, when she felt the full impact of her cold. She dizzily sat herself down, pulled her mommy's scrub cap from off of her head, and let it settle infront of her, where she proceeded to get sick.

Callie, who had been in the room with her at the time, was torn between throwing it away, and cleaning it before Arizona ever found out. But she couldn't stand the thought of her babe wearing something that was covered in vomit at one time, and so she called Arizona into the living room. "Baby, uhm.. um.. can you come here?" Arizona entered the room with a thermometer in hand, obsessed with taking their daughter's temperature every hour. She was afraid that the cold was something more life threatening, like meningitis, which put her on edge all day.

Callie almost laughed when her wife arrived with the thermometer in only a matter of seconds, because she had sent Ari to bed, thinking she needed to calm her nerves down and relax. But as soon as she appeared it was clear to Callie that she had been laying in bed, tapping her fingers the way she always did when she was nervous, waiting for the shit to hit the fan.

For Arizona, however, it was almost a good thing that she was called to the living room. She hated the idea of sitting around while her baby was sick. She didn't really believe that Aaliyah had a life threatening illness... exactly, but she still hated not being able to make her all better.

She ran to the hallway as soon as she was called, and stopped herself sharply, almost falling flat on her face, before she reached the living room, where she walked as normally as possible, not wanting to give Calliope the satisfaction. Calliope had bet her that she couldn't relax if she'd tried. And to think, Callie was the down to earth mom.

But as soon as Ari saw the pile of puke and their crying daughter, who was being soothed by Calliope, she couldn't have cared less if she proved Callie right. she grabbed her keys and said she was taking Liyah to the hospital. Callie let her without argument, even though she knew it was an over reaction. She also knew not to mess with a scared mother. She stayed behind to clean up the mess, hands adorned in 2 sets of gloves as she scrubbed the fowl contents of her daughter's stomach from the carpetting. She used the mini hand held steam cleaner to clean as deep as she could, and when she was done, she tied off the plastic bag which held Arizona's scrub cap. Afterwards, she waited for her two girls to get home.

A few hours later, after every test imaginable was performed on their seven year old, Ari and Aaliyah made their way home. Liyah was asleep in Arizona's arms, her own pudgy little arms snaked around her mommy's neck. Arizona was just grateful she was so petite or she would have had to wake her and make her walk to the apartment. Together, the women tucked their daughter into bed, who happened to have "just a cold," and Calliope guided Arizona to the bar in the kitchen.

She poured her a glass of wine and told her they needed to talk. This was a sensitive issue and Callie didn't want to upset her love. "Arizona... there comes a time when the things- when the things we love have to leave us." Callie started, unsure at first, but eventually her voice grew stronger. Arizona stared at her with a calm exterior.

_"I can be calm..."_

she thought to herself. Callie had wished to herself that for once, her girl wouldn't be so relaxed. It only made it harder to tell her, because she looked like she couldn't even imagine anything bad could happen to her. But she continued.

"Sometimes we grow apart from the things we love, and after so many years I hope you feel the same way I do about it. I mean it was getting old anyway." Arizona couldn't keep calm any longer. She threw her wine glass at Callie, not hard enough to hurt her, just to let her know how upset she was.

_"How dare she leave me! She wouldn't! She... she asked me for a family and I gave her a daughter. We're married! I married her!"_

"Arizona, what the- okay.." Callie stopped herself from cursing. "Okay, I know you're upset but lets be rational... no need to throw things, its really not a big deal." Arizona began to ball her eyes out. She picked up the wine bottle but couldn't throw it. She didn't have the energy to pick herself up, or even lift her head up, as it was being focused on releasing the sea of tears she was crying. And even though Callie was saying these hurtful things, she didn't really want to hurt her. She loved her so much, even still.

Callie stared blankly at her, trying to figure out why she would be so upset over a scrub cap. She thought she would frown, and maybe mourn her scrub cap for a few minutes; not try to kill her. _"Maybe Danny gave it to her.. Maybe it was the last thing she had of him." _Calliope wrapped her arms around her frantic wife, shooshing her. "Baby doll, shh... it's okay, it's OK! Look we can get you another one, with... uh.. doughnuts on it, yeah! And sprinkles! It'll be cute. Hush now baby you'll wake Aaliyah." She rubbed her back as the blonde took in her words. They didn't make sense. Something didn't add up.

"Another wha... What?" Arizona blubbered out.

"Scrub cap?" Realization punched Callie square in the jaw. "Oh, right! I never got to that part... Liyah was playing doctor and she got sick on your scrub cap. I put it in a bag, I didn't know if you'd want to keep it." The latina explained with her hands. Arizona stood up, her tears has come to a halt. She stared silently into Callie's eyes with a pair of dark greyish blue ones; eyes that had been crying a flood capable of the apocolypse a few minutes ago. She stood there staring her down for a few minutes before she yelled in a rant so quick and full of various tones that Callie hadn't really understood any of it. _"Is this what it's like when I speak Spanish?" _She pondered. All she knew by the end of Arizona's rant was that somehow Ari thought she was going to divorce her, and that for punishment she was going to withold sex for a week. Two of the more important points to have picked up on.

When Arizona finally calmed down, she threw the scrub cap in the trash and said a silent goodbye. She had loved that cap but in comparison to what she just thought was happening, it really didn't matter. Suffice it to say, Calliope didn't recieve sex for a whole week, and she learned to be more direct when she had bad news to deliver.

* * *

The women thought back to that day and were able to laugh about it now. Their relationship had lasted through many tough times that only made them stronger, and they knew they had that forever kind of love. Even Arizona couldn't doubt that anymore.

They joined hands once again and continued their walk, marveling at the butterflies, the small, serene fish pond, and the flowers along the way. Further down the trail they came to a park that overlooked Seattle. They sat down on the familiar bench they'd found an oasis in over the years and instantly snuggled up together. The two talked a while about their jobs, about what movie they wanted to see, what food they were thinking of getting at Chief's - anything but the kids. Kids were a non topic on date night. Date night, whether spent in a park, at a fudgery, in a movie theatre, or in a restaurant, was their "Spain."


	7. Part 7

****

It may just be me, but for some reason, writing sex scenes between Aaliyah and Natalie creeps me out. I mean they're only 16, which for most people doesn't seem like a big deal, but idk maybe I was just a good girl at 16 xD anyway its creepy also because I'm 19, and I feel like I'm doing something questionable... like going after a jail-bate girl xD. Well, anyway, enjoy your smut. Hahaha. I tried to keep it as non-creepy for myself as I could while still delivering a much needed plot thickener =P

Aaliyah laid down over Natalie, whose hands were still kneading her breasts, fingers slowly making their way under her bra. Moaning at the contact, the intense reaction brought on by the sexual tension from the past five months, Aaliyah nipped at the skin by Natalie's ear. The brunette massaged the back of Liyah's neck, raking her fingernails delicately up into her hair and down again, an action that always set Liyah off. Spreading her legs at the contact and whimpering for more, she begged Natalie with her unsteady breathing. She wanted more. She needed more.

* * *

"Arizona?" Callie was looking around the shelves of candy for her wife, who was missing somewhere amidst the sugary treats. "Arizona, come out come out wherever you are... Ollie Ollie oxen-free!" she summoned the cheery blonde to no avail. Her wife, consequentially, couldn't answer her. Her mouth was taken over, full from a square of rocky road fudge. She tried to "Mmm" loud enough to let Calliope know where she was, but she ended up confusing a nearby customer into thinking she was choking. The customer was freaking out under the pressure of the thought of having to perform the Heimlich, and didn't register Arizona waving him off.

Instead, the frightened shopper called out, "Is there a doctor here!" Callie heard this and followed his voice to a most hilarious scene. Arizona was waving her hands back and forth in front of her body while her cheeks were puffed out from the fudge. Her face turned a bright pink and she stopped waving almost immediately when she saw Calliope, who was doubled over laughing at her. Clearly Arizona hadn't been choking.

The paeds surgeon finally chewed the fudge up and could talk again. She thanked the scared and baffled stranger for his concern and murmured a "don't even," to Calliope, who was having a difficult time holding in her laughter. Instead of harping on her embarrassed wife, she decided to let it go; it was just too easy. She rubbed Zona's back and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, guiding her far, far away from the free samples and towards the door.

* * *

Aaliyah kissed her girlfriend, sucking on her bottom lip and nibbling it almost to the point of becoming numb. She started lifting Natalie's shirt up, pushing it above her stomach and bra, but Natalie wouldn't let her undress her. The submissive suddenly became the dominant, and she tossed Liyah onto her side, getting up to position herself over top of her.

She unhooked Liyah's bra and began planting wet, hard kisses all over her bare chest. She wanted to be in control. She needed to be in control so she could stop this. She needed to stop this, but Liyah was making that insanely difficult. Nattie let her weight rest on her left arm, continuing to knead Aaliyah's breast with her right hand and sucking on it tenderly.

Giving into Natalie's animal instincts only heightened Liyah's arousal. She loved being taken; at least in most of her day dreams she did. Nattie was very much in charge of this as far as Liyah was concerned, and so she gave up any and all of her power. She wanted this.

* * *

The couple walked side by side, taking a swift stroll to the movie theatre on Barkley Ave. They had cut the list down to two movies: "Bloody Night: The Day After," and "The Great Cupcake War." Of course, you could easily guess who wanted to see what.

"But I've already seen the first! I need to see the sequel!" Callie whined.

"Yes, but mind is cute! And besides, it was suggested that I see it."

"Yea, by little kids." Callie rolled her eyes.

"I've heard it got great reviews," Arizona pressed on, ignoring her.

"How about I go see the "big girl" movie, and you go see the "little girl" film?" Arizona pouted and stopped walking, forcing her wife to stop and turn around to face her.

"_Turn around Calliope... You know you can't resist me.. Haha I've so won this." _It took a lot of practice over the years for Arizona to learn to control the joy that came with winning, but she had it down pat now. She walked up to meet her sour wife with a quick kiss on the cheek. She couldn't help but smile when the brunette bombshell interlocked their fingers together and started up their pace again.

* * *

Bodies were sweating against the fabric that covered them. Aaliyah's pants were slipped from her body and her whole existence was thrown into this moment. She ached deeply and her heady, earthy scent filled the room. Her panties were bunched up against her, saturated in a pool of her juices. She needed release. She bucked her lower half up to rock against Natalie, who was on her hands and knees over top of her girlfriend's stomach, planting more kisses, trying hard to stop from going down any further.

But she couldn't once she felt her lover's need. She tenderly kissed Liyah over her soaked fabric, taking a deep breath in and breathing in the most intimate, overwhelmingly sexual scent of her hot, wet girlfriend. She opened her mouth over her damp mound and sucked on her timidly over her panties.

"_I need to stop. I need to stop. I need to stop. I need..." _was all Natalie could think. Aaliyah's head was turned to the side, eyelids squeezed closed, fingers running through her own hair as well as Nattie's.

* * *

The movie wasn't as bad as Callie wanted to make it out to be, it actually had some really funny moments, and she almost was glad they saw it, because of the way it brought a light to Ari's face. But the major reason she had wanted to see the mediocre zombie flick was because Arizona would have practically sat on her, and terrified, had her head buried in her, hot breath on her skin.

As they left the theatre, Callie fixed Arizona's shirt, a teal colored peasant top that was clinging to itself, pushed above the waistline of her jeans. They waited for a bus to take them to Chief's. If it wasn't already getting dark, they might have considered walking it, but they weren't prepared to get their "Buffy" on if someone attacked them, so public transportation was their only option.

When the bus came to pick them up, they made their way to the only empty seat left, where Arizona sat down, pulling Calliope on top of her. They were rewarded with prying eyes. Most of the looks they got were judgmental, disapproving, and purely ignorant. Even though gay marriage was accepted as a right in Washington state ten years ago, people were still prejudiced.

The blonde used to get a little nervous in public places when showing affection, but eventually her worries faltered. There was no reason they should hide when the law was on their side. So, seeing some of the disgusted looks, she ran a hand down Calliope's hair, moved it to the side, and planted a kiss on the back of her neck. Callie didn't even notice the other passengers; she was just too comfortable being in her angel's arms, and was too focused on ignoring the vibrations from the bus driving over cracked pavement, in addition to the knee digging its way between her legs.


	8. Part 8

**I find it hilarious how so many more ppl read this story here than at the Calzona fan forum I also post to, but I get more reviews over there. Ah well. I'll assume you want more I guess from the alerts and few favs. Thanks for them btw :) Enjoy.**

Callie bit her bottom lip, humming along to the vibrations of the bus, failing to ignore the still searching knee, digging and bouncing against her. Her jean covered legs spread out further in front of her, the V stance of a rock star. The gray fabric, speckled with red flecks peaked through the space underneath her until it was replaced by a pale hand that worked to massage her inner thigh. She had to grip the seat railing in front of her when the bus hit a bump in the road, and her sensitive little ub slammed down against Arizona's boney knee cap. She let out an awkward moan, which she tried to cover up with a fake hiccup, but Arizona saw right through it.

The majority of people had looked away now, afraid to face the gay couple. But some people continued to watch, entranced by the open display of affection, from admiration, jealousy, or simply from perversity. Arizona wanted to continue until they all looked away; she wanted to make them feel as uncomfortable as they tried to make her feel, but upon seeing some of the men smiling sickly at them, she huffed her agitation and stopped, sure that if she continued Calliope would get off.

Her hand stopped rubbing Callie's thigh, pulling back to wrap around her waist in an adoring hug. Her knee stopped its assault and met with the other one to form a more innocent seat for her Mami.

Calliope, half disappointed, half grateful for the end of her wife's sexual torture, breathed against the window, fogging up the glass. "what was that?" She asked under her breath to the woman whose lap she still sat upon. Arizona smiled halfheartedly, hearing the desire still in her voice but feeling guilty.

She paused to breathe, capturing the spicy vanilla perfume she loved, then spoke in a little over a whisper, "I wanted you to cum. And I wanted them to watch." She bit her tongue, holding it steady between her teeth, binding it do as to not say anything so brazen again. Calliope's eyes fluttered and the heat between her legs suddenly rose to her face, bringing with it a rouge to her cheeks. She finally let go of the seat railing to wipe a section of hair away from her blushing face.

"Arizona... I..." She failed to understand the sudden onslaught of kinkiness from her normally shy in public wife. But the Freudian ID in her didn't want to argue with it. "Why did you stop?" Arizona had to laugh out loud at that, filling the middle of the bus with a bubbly, hearty sound. Heads half turned in her direction until they realized who the laugh was coming from, and, not wanted to see more than they paid for when they boarded the bus, kept their eyes forward.

"I wasn't getting off on them watching." She now whispered for only Calliope to hear. "I wanted to make them uncomfortable... They were staring at us with _that_ look." Arizona let off. Callie understood now. She reached for Ari's hand and held it against her own stomach. She turned her head to the side and kissed her angel softly and unarguably publicly politely.

"Baby, let them stare. Maybe they'll learn something." She placed a quick kiss to her temple and turned around once she saw her wife mulling that over.

The bus came to a creaky, screeching halt at the corner of Cristo. The sky was dark,. Dusk had just pressed upon the city, creating shadows along the uneven buildings and low lit street. Calliope got off of Arizona, offering her a hand. Arizona got up quickly, trying to regain control of her numb, wobbly limbs, before grabbing her purse and walking off of the bus, all the while resisting the childish urge to have the last "word" with the ignorant passengers. If she were one of her patients, she would have stuck her tongue out at them. But she wasn't a child. She was in her early forties and even though she looked youthful and was still spry, she couldn't pull it off. Instead, she held her head high and walked straight off the bus without a glance at any of them.

When they got off of the bus, Calliope let the blonde walk ahead, and turned to look at some of the passengers through the windows, (though she couldn't see in, she was sure they could see her.) She grabbed a healthy handful of Arizona's ass and pulled her back for a deep, passionate kiss, right on the curb of Cristo. Gasping and grunting could be heard as the bus pulled away and the women giggled into each others' mouths. "What happened to just letting them stare?" Arizona questioned, gaining a smirk from the brunette in front of her.

"I'm a rock star, Arizona. I could feel an encore coming on, and I couldn't NOT deliver to my fans." She said, starting up her swagger. Arizona galloped to meet her pace and grabbed her hand, turning her around and nearly jumping into her arms to kiss her, hands holding her face, fingers sprawled against the golden flesh beneath them.

"You are a rock star, Calliope. And I'm your biggest groupie." She beamed.

* * *

The bus was long forgotten when they reached Chief's. They sat by the water on the rocky shore line while they waited for a seat. Corey would call them when a table opened up.

Arizona sat between Calliope's legs, leaning back into the warm body behind her. The spicy vanilla perfume whipped in the wind, encasing her in a magical bubble, cut off from all that was not Calliope. She closed her eyes and reveled in the cocoon of their love.

* * *

Aaliyah weaved her finger's through Nattie's dark hair, pushing her head down, wanting her mouth closer. Her toes curled and released and she whined for more through her soft whimpers.

"_I need to stop..._" Natalie continued to think. She dug her nails into her girlfriend's supple ass as she tried to still her tongue. She loved her, so much. This was killing her and enlivening her at the same time. This was everything her heart wanted – Everything her body wanted. But it wasn't perfect because she had HIV. She had HIV... The thought had escaped her during her early tumultuous submission. She knew she should have stopped but she had forgotten why, until she heard her lover say

"Its perfect. You're perfect Natalie. Natalie..." And Natalie had finally stopped. Her mouth hung open, frozen. Her tongue slipped between the saturated fabric and her lover's swollen pink skin. Liyah moved underneath her, shifting to get the friction back. She opened her eyes and braced herself up on her elbows, staring down at Natalie.

"_I have HIV... I have... I can't do this." _Natalie pulled her tongue from her and sat up, head hung low. She could taste her blonde vixen on her tongue and lips, and she savored it as she castigated herself for being so irresponsible with Aaliyah. She wasn't sick. She would NOT get her sick, even if she had to give everything she wanted up.

Aaliyah pulled her legs up in front of her, insecure and worried that it wasn't good for Natalie. She mimicked her and hung her head as she fought against the tears already forging their way out of her. "Was it... You didn't like it?" Liyah held her legs to her. Her voice brought Natalie out of her thoughts.

"What? Oh.. no.. it was..." _"Selfish. DANGEROUS!" _Once again she was lost in her thoughts, which pounded like TNT, lit up and set off uncontrollably in her head. But Aaliyah took her lack of an answer to mean that she actually didn't enjoy it.

"Was it the way.." She let some tears spill in shame, "the way I taste? Or..." Silence met her as her girlfriend licked the inside of her mouth, trying to remember the exact way she tasted. She loved the way she tasted, honestly. But she could never have that again.

"_I could have gotten you sick Liyah. Making love with me is a death sentence." _Aaliyah covered her face with her hands and let the flood fall. Everything was perfect. They were in love. And now she ruined it. She kept thinking of all the things she could have done to make it better. This was her fault. Maybe she needed to eat more fruit, or celery.

"_Yea, celery makes it taste sweeter.."_ She recalled from an article she had read online. She thought about her bathing habits but decided she couldn't possibly be any cleaner of a person. She cried harder when she felt Natalie get up from the bed, and heard her mutter something before she walked out of the bedroom, and let the door swing shut, leaving her scared and pained girlfriend to broil in her shame.


	9. Part 9

**Just a quick note, I had to update this chapter to make it fuller, so its longer. The shorter version of part 9 is still true, I just expanded on the chapter. Thanks to everyone for the comments, really appreciate them :D Hope you enjoy.**

Aaliyah sat on the bed, her head pounding from all the crying she had done. Silent now, she laid with her face against the comforter beneath her. The sheets bunched up in disarray by her ankles and above her pillow, which was pushed against the head board. It had been a half an hour since Natalie left her; since her heart began to break.

She shuffled on the bed and raised herself up on her hands, then leaned back onto her legs that were tucked underneath her. She felt the cold, damp stickiness against her calves and had to get up off of the bed to prevent any more tears. She stood up beside her bed, kicking clothing away and cursing as she kicked the bowl they'd forgotten about.

She grabbed a pair of old sweatpants and the rest of a raggedy outfit, and threw on a robe, set to wash away the residue of the their failed love making. Aaliyah grabbed her comb and hairbrush and opened her door, pausing to look at her bed, remembering and saying a silent goodbye to her dreams. She swung the door shut and made for the bathroom by her parent's room.

"House re-runs are on... It's a marathon." Aaliyah dropped all of her clothes onto the floor and her body glued itself in place. She exhaled and turned her head to the couch where Natalie sat. "it's the one where 13 starts dating Foreman," the Brunette peered out of her bangs at her girlfriend with cautious but determined eyes.

"I thought you went home."

"I like this episode. They were good together." Natalie watched the television.

"I thought you left," Aaliyah's monotone voice spoke again.

"Olivia Wilde is a better actress than that girl who plays Cameron," Natalie pointed to the television set as if to enforce her idea that they pretend the events from half and hour ago didn't happen.

In complete disbelief, Aaliyah repeated one last time her words. Natalie sighed and pulled a meek smile together. "I'm still here."

For a moment, they existed in silence, ensconced in the lie they were considering. Aaliyah thought hard about all that had happened. She wanted Natalie to leave but she didn't want her to stay gone. If she said anything, it might push her away completely. _"Natalie shouldn't have stayed... the sex wasn't good for her, why would she still try to be with me?"_

"I'm going to shower." That was the best answer Aaliyah could come up with. An answer that allowed this air of make believe to have a place. An answer that would still, with any luck, keep Natalie around for a while. She gathered up her clothes and made her way to the bathroom.

As Aaliyah walked away, Natalie let her face fall back to the grimace it had become since she left the bedroom, and turned her attention back to the thoughts swirling in her head, trying to find the motivation to force herself to leave for good.

* * *

When Aaliyah got out of the shower the living room was empty and the television was off. The apartment was silent in an unsettling way. She had sat in the shower for over 40 minutes in stillness, wishing to pause time. Her skin was red and numb before she found the reserved energy she had to get out and turn the water off. Drying hastily, she dressed and opened the bathroom door.

Most of her thoughts had stopped when she saw the empty room. She had expected to find Natalie in the same position on the couch, watching the same House episode – as if everything outside of the shower was paused, frozen in time like Aaliyah felt. Her shoulders hung low as if the weight of the problem fell solely on them and she sulked to her bedroom.

A small part of her wished Natalie would be asleep on her bed; that they could maintain some semblance of normalcy; some way to recognize they still had a healthy relationship. But the majority of the feelings within the blonde begged some non existent God that her girl wouldn't be there.

Acting was never Liyah's forte and she didn't want to fake anything with her lover, even happiness.

The bedroom was dark and empty and although the bed was cold without Natalie, Liyah was grateful to some extent. However, exhausted and emotionally warn, she wasn't able to fall asleep. She rolled over to Natalie's side, contemplating if she should send her a text, and heard a crumpling on the mattress below her. She gathered the blankets and pulled them back. Her hand slipped across the sheet beside her till it connected with the crinkled paper. Aaliyah grabbed her cell and hit the back light on to read the note, too tired to walk to the light switch on the opposite wall.

The few words chicken scratched on the paper made her heart feel like the carrion of a vulture, intent on ripping whatever was left of her apart. Although the rips were invisible her heart felt actual pain and she brought a hand to her chest as she tried to just be – something that at the moment was a task possibly too tough for the broken girl.

She couldn't stop herself from seeing the words on the paper, no matter if she closed her eyes or looked away.

"_I love you, Aaliyah. Too much to spare your feelings this time. I just can't be near you anymore." - Natalie._

* * *

Corey called Callie's cell the moment a table opened up, and the two women made their way up to cozy restaurant, brushing sand off of each other in the process.

The path that lead the way to the restaurant was lit up with tea candles placed on wooden stumps erected from the earth. The candles were covered in white paper tubes to block out the wind, and the orange hue they shone with added to the romantic atmosphere.

Four feet more and they were at the entrance waiting to be seated. No one really complained because they figured the pair had a reservation.

Corey greeted the women himself and showed them to their table in the back corner. He even pulled out their seats for them before making a quick run to the surrounding tables to see how service was.

The corner they sat at was a glow with the same orange hue from the candles arranged in the center of their table, amongst small flowers and potpourri. A waiter quickly met them and filled their wine glasses with chardonnay before taking their orders.

Since entering, the women had not said a single word to one another; they just basked in the adoration they shared for each other. Calliope grabbed Arizona's hand and caressed it tenderly as she studied the woman's face in front of her. Although Arizona really hadn't aged much in the last 11 years, the candle light brought her features back to how she looked when they first met. Even the faintest laugh lines erased from her beautiful face and she looked like a memory brought back to life.

Calliope was no different. Though her hair was shorter than when they first met, and small lines had settled on her face, the candle light swiped them away too and the youthful, softer Calliope from over a decade ago was back in front of the blonde. Arizona swiped dark bangs away from the woman's face then rested her hand on her cheek. Her head was turned to the side to admire her wife fully. Callie smiled knowingly and leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. No one stared at them here. Everyone was so wrapped up in their own magical moments that they didn't even notice.

Most of dinner went on without conversation. It wasn't until half way through her shrimp scampi that Arizona said the first words, easing them into peaceful conversation.

After a third glass each of the chardonnay, the couple's tones became more flirtatious and the conversation more suggestive. They finished their night out with a chocolate gelati they shared, and headed quickly back home to start their night _**in.**_


	10. Part 10

**A/N: I am continuing this story. I have a map of where I want it to go. For those that have read this in the past, I appreciate your devotion. For those that are new to this story, you should know I do not update frequently. I wanted to abandon this story after I took a writing class and realized how poorly written it is. However, I still love the idea I had behind it, even if the writing isn't as great as it should be. I feel like I need to complete it for my own reasons, and I hope it is at least an entertaining read for those of you who enjoyed the story thus far. Thank you again for your patience. Not sure when I will update again, but the story will be finished sometime during summer break from college. Also, last chapter left off with a sort of promise of Calzona smut, and I will be having a flash back to it in another chapter, but from Aaliyah's unfortunate perspective of having to overhear it while unable to sleep. So it will not be very graphic or sexy. Just so you don't get your hopes up.**

* * *

The next morning, the sun rose on Seattle and after a quick game of hide and seek, the sun won out and the tired clouds finally retreated. The ocher walls of Aaliyah's bedroom smiled at her through the photos that were tacked there. She sat up in bed, her body slumped over, with thin lines etched in her face that were opened just enough to show beady pupils. As she took in the bright morning light, she thought how cruel the world could be, sharing it's sunshine with a city always cast in shadow, on a day so dark for her. Becoming more aware of her surroundings, she pulled her attention to the faint banging noises that were coming from the kitchen. The sounds of food sizzling and the muffled voices of her parents interrupted her from returning back to last night's events and she crawled off of her bed, onto tired feet that carried her across the taupe carpet.

She didn't register if she had shut her door, or if her parents had said good morning. Everything felt like it was on an entirely different plane. She felt so disconnected from the world she belonged to yesterday.

* * *

With twelve cups of coffee in her system, the brunette wondered if there was such a thing as coffee poisoning. Since last night, she felt too sick to fall asleep, and it had nothing to do with her HIV. The sun peaked in through the basement window blinds, creating a pattern of dark gray stripes on her mustard yellow walls. Her aunt wouldn't wake up for another, she looked at the time on the VCR clock, five hours.

_"Aaliyah will have woken up by now,"_ she thought to herself, and immediately her stomach twisted in pain at the guilt she felt, (or was it regret, she wasn't sure which she felt more upset about.) She decided thirteen cups of coffee would be too much, so she reluctantly made her way upstairs, almost forgetting to hop over the broken step, before she planted herself in front of the off-pink fridge, grazing for something to fill her up.

* * *

"Maddie, remember those scans Mama showed you of little girls with broken legs?" Callie said over her shoulder at the little girl dancing on top of the wooden chair at the breakfast table.

"Yea Mama I sawed them. I remember them," said Madeline, her brown eyes bugging out at the memory.

"Well unless you want your legs to look like that I suggest you get down before you fall." The girl complied as her Mama tossed the scrambled eggs about in the pan one more time. Aaliyah sat herself at a bar stool, staring down at the counter where a plate slid into view seemingly out of no where. She hadn't been paying close attention to the buzz around her, though bits and pieces filtered through now and then. It wasn't until her Mom jabbed her in the shoulder that she focused on what was being said to her.

"Li, did you get any sleep? You look terrible. Are you sick?" Arizona's voice rose at the end. "Do I need to bring you in to the hospital?" she put her own plate of bacon and toast down, intent on getting the thermometer before Aaliyah reached out and grabbed her arm.

"I'm fine, just..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say, but knowing she needed to reply with something. "I just remembered I have an essay due Monday and I never started so I stayed up all night doing the reading." she lifted a forkful of egg up off the plate before placing it back down, not feeling like eating. "I'm trying to go vegetarian now Mom.." the young blonde lied.

Arizona sucked in a deep breath before munching on her crispy bacon in thought.

She knew her daughter was lying, not about her diet but about her essay. She had seen her reading her book throughout the week, sometimes to the kids in the paeds commons. Liyah didn't lie to her parents often, and never about really big things, but she was a teenager now and as much as Arizona dreaded the thought, she knew she would one day have to back off and let her daughter make her own decisions. Today was a step in that direction, although if Arizona were being honest with herself, she would have to admit that she would be listening in to more of her daughter's phone conversations... and maybe even glance down purposefully at her laptop's screen when she walked past... Just to make sure nothing bad was happening.

Callie finished her plate and got her son some more before handing a banana to Aaliyah. "Eat this at least, and then I want you working on that essay right away. Procrastinators don't make it past their boards."

"Alex Karev-"

"Is lucky he had your Mom on his ass-" Arizona shot Callie that look, "butt all the time. And you happen to be fortunate enough to have that same special treatment. Now eat." Aaliyah fed herself if only to stop her parents from getting on her case. She was in absolutely no mood today. Her heart was broken and the part of her that wasn't completely consumed in the misery of that considered whether or not she should administer a shot of adrenaline to it to get it pumping right again.

* * *

Aaliyah sat at her laptop, staring blankly at the blinding white screen of the word processor. Callie walked behind her in the living room, frantically gathering some random things; "_probably her phone, keys, and Danny's back pack"_ Liyah mused. The Latina was running late for work and she still had to drop Danny off at his friend's for the day.

"It's fine babe, I can drop him off on my way to Wegman's," Arizona reassured her wife. "I've just got to get a shower and get Madeline ready."

"But Carl's Mom is taking us to the skate park before the teenagers take it over and I can't be late!"

"Oh. No, no skate park." Callie looked from the irate face of her son to her hesitant wife for help.

"Calliope, little boys like to play rough, and as long as he wears the protective gear I don't have any issue with him skating."

"Skate BOARDING mom, not skating." Danny groaned.

"And you know Marie will watch them like a hawk. Like a ninja hawk with special secret service training." Arizona exaggerated.

"Besides, if I break something you can just fix it."

"You aren't helping Danny."

* * *

Somehow, the issue was settled because Aaliyah found herself still staring at a blank screen moments later, but with a nearly quiet house. After a few moments of torturing herself with thoughts of _her_, Aaliyah began to type up her essay if only to distract herself. She wrote a quick introductory paragraph about the way the fairies in _"A Midsummer Night's Dream"_ manipulated the characters in the forest and the history behind the title of the play. Normally Aaliyah hated Shakespeare, but she had honestly enjoyed this play more than any of the others she had been forced to read for class.

That was how she had felt before she was abandoned by her girlfriend. Now, she resented the book for its themes of love and for the way Helena ended up getting the man of her dreams in the end through a spell. The irony of not having her own fairy to watch over her lesbian love life did not escape her, and only furthered her resentment. Regardless of how she felt though, the essay was still due Monday, and so she continued to type until her essay became more of a diary entry where she ranted on about the absurdity of having someone change their heart so abruptly just because of a flower with magical powers.

Her essay continued to disclose some personal information about her own love life as evidence as to why the play "was an unrealistic slap in the face that was comparable to any Kate Hudson one and a half star chick flick in theatres today."

* * *

By the time Aaliyah was finished her essay, Arizona had already showered and was braiding her youngest daughter's hair.

"Did you finish your essay?" Arizona shouted over her shoulder to Aaliyah.

"Yea."

"You wanna come with? You can pick up a treat for tonight," Arizona asked, trying to cheer her up. She still wished Li would open up to her but she wasn't going to push her, so when Aaliyah turned her down, she let it go.

"Mommy, can I pick out a treat for tonight!" asked a hopeful Madeline.

"I'll make you a deal: you behave at the store and in the car and you can pick out a dessert for everyone." She finished with a final loop of the elastic hairband snapping into place. Madeline cheered and ran to her bedroom to pick out a plush friend to bring along for the journey.

* * *

Aaliyah came back to her laptop after grabbing a glass of water to find that the paper had jammed in the printer. She yanked it out and selected the print button again. When nothing happened, she clicked a few more times, frustrated with the slow response of her computer. Finally it began to print.

The essay was only meant to be one page but in her rant she lost track of that fact and ended up with three very revealing pages. Her mind was so stressed out that she hadn't realized exactly what she had done, so she grabbed the essay, collated it with a quick shuffle in her hands, and went to her bedroom to tuck it away in her book bag.

* * *

Madeline had returned with an armful of fuzzy colorful friends, dropping a duck or a penguin here and there. She had become interested in birds and collected a new plush every time she visited the aviary gift shop at the zoo. Apparently she believed she was part robin because of her Mommy's last name. Arizona just shook her head and told her to bring ONE friend along and only one because there weren't enough seat belts for all of her friends. The little girl couldn't argue with that logic and so she ran back to her room, gathering the odd fallen toy on her way.

Arizona was about to call Aaliyah to tell her to shut the printer off if she was done when she noticed a stack of papers piled in the tray. She figured her daughter might be laying down still not feeling well, so she grabbed them and began to order then for her by page number. When she had everything in order, she walked towards Aaliyah's bedroom when something, a name, on the essay caught her eye.

_"...Natalie could not love me any more than Demetrius loved Helena. It was all a lie. The poor girl could not see because of the dreamlike haze of it all but she was being used by Demetrius, who even with a spell probably only wanted her for her body, because lets face it the dominant one always wants sex, and us girls like Helena are desperate enough to give it to them. And then, they're gone just like Lysander after the spell was lifted." _Arizona read one of the more brief paragraphs from her daughter's essay. Panic overtook her senses. _"the dominant one always wants sex, and us girls like Helena are desperate enough to give it to them." _Arizona knocked on her eldest daughter's bedroom door calmly, intent on having a discussion about this._ "How could she be so irresponsible! She said she was a virgin!" _thoughtArizona as she heard Aaliyah make her way to the door.


End file.
